Golf ball which includes fast-chemical-reaction-produced component and method of making same

• US 7,244,196 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Issued: 07/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Callaway Golf Company (Topgolf Callaway Brands Corp.)
• Inventors: Tzivanis, Michael J., Kennedy, Thomas J. III, Melanson, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trimiew; Raeann
• Application Number:
  US10/905,913
• Publication Number:
  US 20050107188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 902 Days
• Field of Search: 473/378, 473/373, 473/374
• US Class Current: 473/378
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2209/00 Characteristics of used materials
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0003 Golf balls
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0027 Polyurea
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0031 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0033 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0043 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0045 Thickness
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0064 Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0065 Deflection or compression
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0075 Three piece balls, i.e. cover, intermediate layer and core
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/0076 Multi-piece balls, i.e. having two or more intermediate layers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 37/12 Special coverings , i.e. outer layer material balls with finger holes A63B37/0001, golf ball covers A63B37/0023
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 45/00 Apparatus or methods for manufacturing balls working of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/10 Prepolymer processes involving reaction of isocyanates or isothiocyanates with compounds having active hydrogen in a first reaction step
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3206 aliphatic
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/3814 Polyamines
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/4854 Polyethers containing oxyalkylene groups having four carbon atoms in the alkylene group
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 18/6685 with compounds of group C08G18/3225 or polyamines of C08G18/38
• CPC Class Codes: C08G 2120/00 Compositions for reaction injection moulding processes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 75/04 Polyurethanes

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a golf ball comprising fast-chemical-reaction-produced component, such as a component which comprises a reaction injection molded polyurethane material. The golf ball has excellent light stability. Also disclosed is a method making a golf ball by forming a cover component of the ball by mixing two or more reactants that react and form a reaction product with a flex modulus of from about 1 to about 310 kpsi in a reaction time of about 5 minutes or less, the component having a thickness of at least 0.01 inches and a demold time of 10 minutes or less.

Claims

1. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover disposed about said core;

wherein said cover comprises a fast reacting aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyarea material, wherein said fast reacting aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyurea material has a reaction time of less than two minutes at processing conditions, and wherein said aliphatic-based polyurethane and/or polyurea material comprises the reaction product of an aliphatic diisocyanate prepolymer having an isocyanate group (NCO Group) content ranging from 14.0% to 16.5%, an aliphatic polyol and a catalyst.

2. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the reaction time is less than fifteen seconds at processing conditions.

3. The golf ball of claim 1, wherein the diisocyanate prepolymer is selected from the group consisting of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI);

methylene dicyclohexyl diisocyanate (H₁₂MDI);

isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI);

tetramethylene diisocyanate;

octamethylene diisocyanate;

decamethylene diisocyanate;

dodecamethylene diisocyanate;

tetradecamethylene diisocyanate;

lysine diisocyanate (LDI);

tetramethylxylylene diisocyanate;

trimethyihexane diisocyanate (TMDI);

tetramethylhexane diisocyanate;

1,4-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

1,3-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

1,2-diisocyanatocyclohexane;

4,4-di(isocyanatocyclohexyl)methane;

1 -isocyanato-3,3,5-trimethyl-5-(isocyanatomethyl) cyclohexane-(isophorone diisocyanate);

2,4-diisocyanator-1-methylcyclohexane;

2,6-diisocyanato-1-methylcyclohexane;

1,5-naphthalenediisocyanate (NDI); and

combinations and derivatives thereof.

4. The golf ball of claim 3, wherein the diisocyanate is H₁₂MDI.

5. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture;

a boundary layer formed over the core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising 1,6, hexamethylene-diisocyanate and a polytetramethylene ether glycol;

the reactants having an isocyanate group (NCO Group) content ranging from 14.0% to 16.5%.

6. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture;

a boundary layer formed over the core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a diisocyanate and a polyol blend, wherein the fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material has an isocyanate group (NCO Group) content ranging from 14.0% to 16.5%, a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, and a thickness ranging from 0.010 inch to 0.044 inch.

7. A golf ball comprising:

a core; and

a cover formed over the core, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer having an isocyanate group (NCO Group) content ranging from 14.0% to 16.5% and a curative;

wherein the cover has an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon.

8. The golf ball according to claim 7 further comprising at least one boundary layer disposed between the core and the cover, wherein the boundary layer is composed of a blend of ionomers.

9. A golf ball comprising:

a core comprising a polybutadiene mixture, the core having a diameter ranging from 1.35 inches to 1.64 inches and having a PGA compression ranging from 50 to 90;

a boundary layer formed over the core, the boundary layer composed of a blend of ionomer materials, the boundary layer having a thickness ranging from 0.020 inch to 0.075 inch, the blend of ionomer materials having a Shore D hardness ranging from 50 to 75 as measured according to ASTM-D2240; and

a cover formed over the boundary layer, the cover composed of a fast chemical reaction aliphatic polyurethane material formed from reactants comprising a polytetramethylene ether glycol terminated 4,4′

-diphenylmethane diisocyanate polyurethane prepolymer having an isocyanate group (NCO Group) content ranging from 14.0% to 16.5% and a polyol, wherein the aliphatic polyurethane material has a Shore D hardness ranging from 30 to 60 as measured according to ASTM-D2240, a thickness ranging from 0.015 inch to 0.044 inch, and an aerodynamic surface geometry thereon.